Cassidy told selectmen that the increase will help curb rising operation costs and help pay for a new ambulance.

Holliston offers four levels of ambulance services: basic life support, two levels of advanced life support and special care transport.

According to Medicare’s billing definitions, basic life support is ambulance transportation with an emergency medical technician that has basic training. That level of service is usually called for basic fractures, patients without heart problems and psychiatric patients.

Advanced life support is for patients who need an IV, have heart problems or face any major complications. Level two is for more serious cases.

Special care transport is for patients that require specialized, ongoing care.

Starting July 1, the basic life support fee will go up from $718.75 to $800, advanced life support level one will go from $968.75 to $1,200, level two is seeing the biggest increase from $1,168.75 to $1,500, according to a memo Cassidy gave selectmen.

The department is adding a new $1,800 fee for special care transport this year. It did not offer that service before.

From July 1 to March 31, Holliston ambulances have sent out bills for 269 basic life support calls, 255 advanced life support level one calls, and five level two calls.

The new fee structure also addresses costs for when a patient is treated but not taken to the hospital. Cassidy says that often happens when diabetes patients fall unconscious due to low blood sugar levels.

Before, patients were not charged for that service. Now it will cost $400.

“Our service is provided regardless of the person’s ability to pay,” said Cassidy at Wednesday’s meeting.

When a patient is taken to the hospital, the bill is sent to their insurance provider.

As of March, the department has received $225,000 in payments for services in the last fiscal year. With the price increase, Cassidy is hoping that number will increase by nearly 15 percent.

October Town Meeting approved $190,000 to buy a new ambulance, but the two bids the Fire Department received in January were over $200,000, an amount the department couldn’t afford. Cassidy says the fee hike will “comfortably” get the department the money it needs for the new ambulance.

The money to buy the ambulance comes from a self-sufficient Ambulance Revolving Account. The account is funded by the services ambulances provide for patients.

Anamika Roy can be reached at 508-626-3957 or aroy@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @anamikaroy.